Survival, At All Cost
by Hail King Cerion
Summary: Corporal Thomas Adams and his units K-9 were on their own for a long time, walking and trying to stay alive. They lived with groups but those groups fell to the dead or infighting, the worlds gone to shit and he hates that he'll be dying in it... Until he found a group stuck on a highway. (Eventual OcXMaggie).
1. Prologue

_**Hey. I will be writing this with the inspiration of binge-watching TwD seasons 1-9 before Sunday when Season 10 takes off. I will still be writing chapters for Game of Thrones, so don't you fret.**_

_**I'll be honest, there isn't going to be serious changes to the storyline, perhaps some deaths that happened in-show won't be the same. This story is mainly for my own pleasure as I had once started a similar story before this one such as Carls's fate and Andrea's too.**_

_**This is character-centric on Thomas's interactions and growth**__**. **_

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Prologue

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The Saviors stopped them before they could reach Hilltop, his grey eyes narrowed on the man named Simon who had them lined up like some criminals to be executed.

Maggie. She's pregnant, god, his best friend's girlfriend who he also loves is having a child and will probably not see the next night. They might all die, all to keep her healthy and safe.

He warned him, Rick. He said that it was too early to fight a damn war, so many people lost and then what happened to Alexandria. It was now that he missed the prison, missed the days with those he befriended and lost to people and walkers.

He was breathing rather heavily, shit, he'd only just gotten over a sickness.

Glenn. Rick. Aaron. Maggie. Abraham. Rosita. Carl. Daryl. Eugene. Sasha.

They all were made to kneel into the gravel, dozens of men pointing their weapons at them. _Shitheads, all of them_. He thought and looked at Simon who scoffed.

"All right, we got a full boat. Let's meet the man!" Simon called out and pounded on the door of the RV, not a moment longer the door opens and the leader of the Saviors appeared and had some modified bat on his shoulder.

This is Negan. From what some of the man's men described about him, he can see they were somewhat true. An imposing figure, tall, a mean look but he saw that the man enjoyed seeing them on their knees like some goddamn king or something.

"... We pissing our pants yet? Oh, boy- Do I have a feeling we're getting close." Negan walked around and watched all of them, "It's going to be pee-pee pants city really soon." Negan stopped and pointed his finger out, "Which one of you pricks is the leader?" Simon pointed towards Rick.

He doesn't remember much after that, only the sickening sound of someone's skull being caved in by that very same bat he saw. The cries of the group, the blood, and brains matter.

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_**AN: Just a glimpse, next one we enter the past which caps at Season Six then goes into the future. **_

_**Now I hope you enjoy the real Chapter 1: Days Gone By (I will be naming my own chapters later but right now, I will be using the Eps Names). **_


	2. Chapter 1

**_Now we begin the dance, I hope you all enjoy. _**

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Chapter 1: Communion for the Dead

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The lone stranger whistled for his dog to follow, the 5-year-old German shepherd wagged his tail and came beside him.

The wandering soul was military Corporal Thomas Joseph Adams, friends call him- No, they 'called' him T.J back home and in his unit.

He wiped away the sweat from his copper skin and brushed it into his hair which he kept braided, his grey eyes watched how farther down the road he had gotten from escaping what happened to Fort Benning.

Thomas looked left off the interstate he was walking, raising his rifle which had customized with a silencer. He heard the snarling and took a deep breath, seeing the corpse and taking the shot.

A thump and he was back on his way, not really knowing where to go but so long as there aren't any dead men, then that is paradise.

The world was shitty, it became shittier after people started to die and come back to take a chomp out of their asses. The U.S Army tried to stop it, his unit was assigned to taking the Governor out of the city, they were caught and the Governor's family was swarmed and so was his Sergeant.

He shook his head, it isn't worth reliving that shit.

Eyeing a heap of vehicles backed up into and full of danger, he sighed and took out his combat knife whilst throwing his rifle over his back. "Follow close, Kent." He ordered and the hound did as he was asked.

He checked a number of vehicles, finding a bottle of water or two and a candy bar. Taking a seat he ate the bar and took a swig of the first water bottle, putting it back into his backpack after.

He once thought of heading back home to Mayetta, back to the reservation where he was born and grew up. _It's gone, now, it's all gone_. He thought bitterly and went back to searching, finding a truck, Chevy so he checked it out and looked at the engine. No undead but the keys were still in the ignition, "Let's see... " He whispered and turned it on, trying to start it once and then thrice but it didn't start.

He jumped out of the truck and suddenly felt something, Kent growled back where had come from.

"Fuck!" He hissed and knew what that was, he had thought he lost them a long time ago but the dead aren't tired, they never 'not' wander.

He turned around to run again but was met with an African American, he saw the same thing as he did and in a split-second decision, he decided to wing it. "Get in the truck, get in it!" He told the man who didn't feel like arguing and dove in. "Stay quiet, keep your head down." He advised and shut the door silently.

Kent and he found another vehicle and went inside, using an old blanket to cover the two up and avoid detection.

The herd was thick, he saw so many passing through and he closed his eyes to tune the snarling and growls out of his mind. Well, no use going back to Atlanta, not with the herd heading that way.

Kent whined but the dog quieted, nearly 20 minutes passed before the coast was clear and he opened the door.

"Who are you?" He was asked by the man he saved, it was rude and he gritted his teeth.

"You kidding me, I saved your ass, who are you?!" He snapped back at the man who saw his rifle, and the knife and pistol in his hand.

"T-Dog, your turn," T-Dog told him and he scoffed, it was a sensible request.

"Adams, Thomas Adams... You with a group, or by yourself?" It was a risky question, it was something he's asked only twice since the fall of Fort Benning.

T-Dog sighed heavily and nodded, "Come on, you gotta mee the others." He was told and he agreed, holstering his weapon and putting away his knife.

Back with Rick's group, things have taken a turn for the worst.

Sophia had bolted from hiding, all others were still and shocked to do anything except for Rick who dove from under a car to go and get her. Shane and the others soon came out of their spots to gather together.

The thoughts of the group were the same, they were afraid and scared for Sophia but Shane knew in his gut that she'd be alright. Rick will bring her back and they would continue on to Fort Benning and putting all of this behind them.

It has to be, right? There, it all is going to be fine and away from the walkers.

Glenn looked up and the others noticed too, they saw T-Dog coming towards them but he wasn't alone, there was someone with him and a dog.

The stranger was a tall one, nearly Shane's or Rick's height. He looked no older than twenty-seven with copper skin, black hair going down passed the shoulder and in a braid. He was wearing a green muscle shirt with camo pants and boots.

Dale and Andrea saw the rifle, definitely military issued and his side-piece as well and the K-9 at his side.

"Who the hell is this?" Shane demanded of T-Dog who tried to tell them what he knew but Shane tried to frisk and take Thomas's weapons but Kent growled menacingly at the local cop. "Things aren't right to be picking up strays, you know that?" T-Dog actually defended Thomas.

"He saved my damn life, let's hear him out first." Thomas looked at T-Dog with appreciation.

The group looked to one another before eventually agreeing, "Go on, son." Dale said to the young man who cleared his throat.

"My name is Thomas Adams, a Corporal of the U.S Army unit stationed from Fort Benning to help stop the infected. I, I have been on my own ever since, well, except for ole Kent, my units dog." Adams explained to the group who caught the most important of information.

Fort Benning.

"Why did you go out on your own, you were secure at Fort Benning." The soldier scoffed which angered Shane and irritated Daryl, "What's so damned funny, huh?" Thomas was asked and he shook his head.

"Fort Benning is gone, fell weeks ago to the larger half of the herd that came through here." He realized too soon from the disappointed looks on everyone's faces, "I'm sorry, you know, there was just too many of'em." Thomas added which didn't seem to temper Shane's anger which led to the next action.

Shane punched Thomas, Thomas punched back. Shane came at him and slammed the soldier's back on the hood of a car, Kent locked his jaws on Shane's leg to protect his partner. Daryl and Glenn pulled the cop off him and Andrea got in between the two to cool the situation.

"Enough! Focus on the walkers, not ourselves!" The blonde woman told the two, clearly tired of things, "We don't know you, if what you say is true then we've got to move... After Rick and Sophia get back." She said to which Carol and Lori agreed to.

So, what Thomas gathered is he is both welcome and unwelcome. He was sat down beside a jeep, being watched by the entire group he initially showed interest in being apart of. Shane and Daryl glanced at him more than a few times, irritation and distrust.

Petting Kent's head, he was annoyed by being watched by them, like he was going to kill them and steal their ride.

He hated being seen as an outsider, been this way since high school. There was never any shortage of prejudice assholes ganging on the skinny Indian boy from Mayetta. His unit was also different, which was ironic considering half were of African descent.

They grew on him, though, they all became friends not long after... Until the shit hit the fan.

"So it's really gone?" He looked up and saw the Asian named Glenn, he nodded to it and the guy sighed and took off his hat, "That, really sucks." Yes, it does.

"Where was your group before this? If I may." He was always told to be polite, though he could and most certainly had been rude to people, many throughout his life.

Glenn told him about his camp before this, about the action inside of Atlanta and about the CDC. That hurt because he was going there, it was protected and could have been the place to lie low from all of this.

Guess they've all had disappointments, today.

Dale looked down to him from his RV, he waved hi to try and be a little bit friendly so as to get these people to slow their roll on the hostility, especially Deputy Shane Walsh who Glenn said could be a hardass but loyal, he'll agree to that for now.

Glenn went on to tell them about why they were trying to reach Fort Benning, they wanted to be safe, they wanted to get away from the walkers as they called them. He laughed, then, it was a good name to call them that's for sure.

"At the CDC, did you guys figure anything out, about what caused this?" Dale heard him ask and was perplexed on how he didn't know.

"We thought you'd know more. You being a military man and all." He saw Andrea jump in, Lori and her son were consoling the mother of the lost child.

"The only thing I was told by my superiors was that the dead were rising and we had to gun them down, I mainly dealt with smaller things," Thomas explained to the people.

"Listen, all the scientist told us was that the bite kills us and keeps our brains active, we know nothing else." Shit, a heavy sigh escaped his mouth and got to his feet, stretching his legs for a few minutes and all that.

The sound of footsteps was heard, he was finally going to be introduced to the leader of this group.

Rick Grimes was a clean man, lean with short dark hair and clear blue eyes. He noticed the colt on his waist, Rick eyed him with suspicion before talking to the one named Carol and his wife.

Carol was in a bad state, she had just lost her daughter and now they can't find her. Sophia isn't strong, she can't protect herself out there. "Rick, you have to find her, please." She begged of the man even though she somewhat blames him, Rick was the one to leave her on her own like that.

"We are, I promise you that," Rick swore to the worried mother, then his eyes landed on Thomas.

Lori told him a quick summary, an army boy from Fort Benning. He is upset that it fell, the fort was a beacon for them during the time their other camp fell, then what Jenner told him. Rick sighed and started walking over to the new arrival, "Daryl, Shane, Glenn, get ready to go out for Sophia." The three nodded and went to get their stuff.

Thomas stood and met Rick straight up, "I'm Thomas Adams, you must be the leader." The soldier assumed and Rick stared at him.

"Listen, we've got a situation here, we could use your help." He understood that need, and, if he wants to stay with them then he'll do what he needs to.

"You got it, Kent will help- My dog." He said to Rick who gave him a nod.

The five of them went inside the forest to look for the girl. Kent and Daryl worked together well, picking up a scent/tracks, along the way he began talking with Rick. He was asked question after question, kept in between Rick and Shane which seemed like a sign of distrust.

"You don't trust me, not truly, I understand that." Shane snorted in response, he ignored him, "We all want to survive, it's all there is, right? Survival, at all costs." He wasn't a very hopeful person, but shit, it helps to be friendly even when depressed and alone.

"Yes, it is." Shane said from behind him but Rick said different, "No, not at all costs. We survive, but we don't give up who we are." Thomas wanted to chuckle, it sounded awfully like what his CO told him when things started.

Rick and Shane started talking when they felt comfortable to let him find his own tracks, he ignored it as it was mostly them bickering to one another about if Sophia understood Rick to which the man rebutted and said that she understood just fine. Shane reluctantly agreed and said she might be tuckered in some bushes or something.

The sun was starting to set for the day, Rick sent Glenn and Shane back to the highway- Tried to send him back without his dog but he wouldn't.

"I have nothing against you or Daryl... But I am not leaving my dog in your care, we work best together." his words swayed the leader of the group, so the three and Kent continued on and he whistled, "Come, Kent." He called, Glenn snorted in amusement.

"Kent? Like Clark Kent?" He was asked and he smiled with a nod.

"The very same."

Thomas, Rick, and Daryl followed a scent that Kent picked up, it ended up leading to a walker which they killed. It was a sick thought, gutting it in search of a little girl that might've been eaten alive which is entirely possible as its face was caked with blood.

Rick pulled his knife out to which Daryl smugly said his was sharper, Thomas scoffed and pulled out his own, "I beg to differ, but go ahead." He offered Daryl his and the wild man huffed and continued to use his own to cut the walker open.

The blood was from an animal, Rick sighed with relief and so did he.

It was dark out before Sophia's scent went cold, Kent's nose is usually good but there were so many walkers that he couldn't pinpoint her exact trail. In the end, Rick called it off and the three began heading back.

Carol, she was beside herself. "You didn't find anything?" She cried and Rick explained that her trail went cold but they'll start back up in full force tomorrow, with everyone besides one to watch the RV.

Thomas has started to respect the man, not many are willing to tell a mother that they couldn't do absolutely everything to save their child. _I've seen it, in the infirmary where mothers and fathers lost their children and family to sickness._ He thought as he was posted to 'deal' with those poor souls after their family was done saying their goodbyes.

Rick found him an hour after coming back, reaching his hand out to him, "I want to thank you, for helping us, today." Thomas didn't expect that, not so soon.

"No problem, even as a child on my reservation we helped out where we could. I'm sorry we couldn't find the kid." He apologized to Rick who shook his head with a smile, leaving to go back to his son and wife.

He was trying to find that truck, to sleep in it for the night but he was offered a place inside of the RV by Dale, the old man was like his grandmother. He took it and Kent slept by his side.

Andrea was still working on her gun but she would listen as Thomas hummed to his animal, it was strange to even see a dog of all things that weren't wild or dead. He's a rugged-looking man, all things aside, she's never seen an Indian before- At least, not outside of the movies she'd rent from the stores as a kid.

The next morning came and Kent was licking Thomas's face to wake him up, he laughed and groaned and got to his feet.

Rick, Glenn, Dale, Daryl, and Shane were already up and looking over a map of Georgia. Glenn said good-morning and he fist-bumped the Korean Kid as he started to reference of him in his mind since last night.

Rick unrolled a handful of bladed weapons when everyone was gathered, "Everyone, grab a weapon." He didn't take one, seeing as he has his combat knife on his person, the others such as T-Dog, Glenn, Lori, and Carol took one.

Andrea didn't seem so appeased to using knives and hatchets, "These aren't the kind of weapons we need, where are the guns?" Shane huffed and raised his head to the blond.

"We talked about that. Daryl, Rick, Thomas and I are carrying. We can't have people popping off shots in the woods." Andrea went to argue further until he stepped in.

"Listen, I'm still new but trust me, nothing's worse than giving untrained people firearms because another herd could pass by and hear it." The woman huffed and let it go for now but she wasn't just about to give up yet.

Daryl planned their search area out, taking the creek up about five miles then turn around and come back down the other side. It made sense as she'd most likely be around that area, Thomas scratched Kent's ear and he noticed Carl was looking at the dog. He nodded for him to go ahead and the kid petted the animal.

Rick advised them all to stay quiet and stay sharp, the group plus Carl were just about to leave before Andrea stormed up to Dale. In her mind, she didn't feel the protection these knives gave were sufficient, she wanted her gun back.

Thomas stopped when she blew up in the old man's face, saying how he forced her hand when she wanted to opt-out or something. He saw she was an excitable person from how determined she was in getting her gun but suicidal? That was a disturbing thought or action to even consider.

He felt a tug on his arm and turned to see T-Dog, a nod was given and he followed the darker-skinned man.

They began searching for the little girl once more, he heard a bit of nonsense behind him. Carl was talking to Shane but was pushed away, he asked his mother if he did something wrong to which Lori said no.

The group later spotted what looked like a camp, he was chosen alongside Daryl and Shane to approach said camp. Kent strolled up and smelled inside, Daryl did the same and it smelled foul.

Rick had Carol come closer so she could call out to her daughter, that was if she is in there. She called once, then twice, then a third time but no movement. In the end, it was just a survivor who had killed himself than live in this world.

It was sometime later that he felt a tap on his arm, it was Carl, "What's up, kid." He asked the twelve-year-old, he was staring curiously before talking to him.

"You were in the Army?" He nodded while looking around, "I used to play army in my backyard, or cops like my dad and Shane... Until. Why did you join the Army?" The kid became silent for a long moment and then asked him a personal question, he understood that quietness.

"Carl, go by your father, go on," Lori told her son who reluctantly walked away, "I'm sorry about that, he's been acting up since Sophia ran off." It was no trouble, Carl was just a kid, his nephew acted the same way once before.

"Just a kid being a kid, we don't get chances like that in this world, not anymore." He said to Lori and she nodded with a light frown, walking steadily with him.

The group stopped upon hearing the sounds of bells, running to where it was but he ran because those bells are the dinner alarms for any walkers around the area. Rick and Daryl were sure that it was a manual bell, like those old ones he saw in books.

"Stay out here, wait for us!" Rick told the women as he, Thomas, Shane, and Daryl went inside to see a few walkers inside. "Shit, communion for the dead?" Thomas remarked, thanking that he put on his silencer, he shot one, so did the others until they were dealt with.

No sign of Sophia, the bells were automated and she wasn't here after they searched every cupboard and shelf.

"You're an injun, can't ya use a trick, ear to the ground," Daryl said and he scoffed, shaking his head and walking away to take a rest.

The church seemed a good spot, he stopped after hearing Carol pray to Jesus and sat on the stairs instead. Glenn took a seat next to him a moment later, "So what'd you do when the world wasn't so bad?" He asked the Asian who smiled at his humor.

"I delivered pizza." Well, shit, that's one food he misses above spaghetti and chili. Rick walking out of the church, passing them and he and Glenn got back to their feet to follow.

Rick and Shane, they both decided to keep looking, Carl chose to keep them company while the rest made their way back to the highway. The officer offered his wife his weapon, Lori refused and then Daryl pulled out a .32 Special Revolver and handed it to the mother at Andrea's irritation.

The group split up to cover ground while making their way back to safety, all along the way, Andrea kept giving Lori a dirty look. Glenn minded the tree line for walkers and Carol tried to keep up.

Thomas and Daryl walking together, "What Reservation are you from, Tanto?" He was asked by the redneck.

"Mayetta, Prairie Band Potawatomi. My grandmother is from there, but, my grandfather is from the far North, Wisconsin with the Forest County Potawatomi." He explained to Daryl, "I have two homes, but no more family." He said with a hint of sadness.

"Are they gone?" Glenn asked him and he shrugged his shoulders.

"If they are, I hope it was quick and they are at peace. My Grandmother and Grandfather looked after me, my mother went to prison for dealing and doing drugs. I had two brothers and a nephew... Perhaps I'll see them someday, when this is all over." They all continued in silence for a while until Carol wanted to get a moment's rest.

Andrea, Carol, and Lori's problem boiled and the three started sharing, Andrea starting when she mentioned that Lori had a gun.

"Enough! Give me the gun." He said to Lori who handed it to him, he took out the bullets and handed it to Andrea, "Here, now you've got a gun." She gave him a snarky look before letting it go once again. Lori turned to Carol and told her to stop blaming Rick for Sophia's disappearance, it isn't the man's fault because out of everyone, Rick stepped up and went to protect her.

She had a point, even he'd hesitate on doing anything with that many dead walking passed.

Andrea sighed after Lori was done, she handed Thomas the gun back who handed it back to Lori, "We should get going." the blond said and the five began making their way back.

Back in the woods with Rick, Shane, and Carl, the two grown-ups were conversing with one another.

"I don't like it." Rick didn't know what his best friend meant, he asked what Shane meant and it was about their new arrival, "It's a mistake taking in new people, especially after Merle?" He knew Merle was a problem, and for a moment so was Daryl but he's changed since then.

"He helped us, protected T-Dog even though he didn't need to. His dog and Daryl are getting us closer to Sophia." He defended the soldier, he agreed that yes, he didn't fully trust him but Thomas has given them no reason to believe he is going to be hostile towards the group.

"I'm just saying, we have to be smarter in who we let in. Not just every stranger we happen to come across- " All talking ceased when they heard a noise, around the corner of the trail they were walking.

Rick saw it was a deer, he remembered the horse, then he saw a dog with Thomas and now, he can say he's seen a deer. Shane, smiled at him and raised his gun to kill it, its still food all things considered.

He stopped him because Carl was so fascinated, it WAS a fascinating sight... Then the bullet shot the deer and dropped his son.

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_**AN: I hope you all have enjoyed this beginning, the next chapter will be out soon and Thomas will meet the Greene's at Hershel's farm. **_


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